Central Michigan's Hail Mary win shouldn't have been

Joe Fleming, USA TODAY Sports8:14 p.m. EDT September 10, 2016

(Photo: Alonzo Adams, USA TODAY Sports)

Central Michigan got away with one — meaning a win that shouldn't have been — Saturday atOklahoma State.

The Chippewas beat the No. 17 Cowboys on a Hail Mary pass on an untimed down that should not have been awarded.

On the final play of regulation, Oklahoma State'sMason Rudolph threw a pass out of bounds with no Cowboys in the area as time elapsed. Officials called intentional grounding, correctly. Then, they fumbled.

Mid-American Conference officials marked off the penalty and awarded Central Michigan an untimed down — which the Chippewas took advantage of with a Hail Mary, hook and lateral and touchdown. But the rule says that when a foul occurs that involves a loss of down, that brings the game to an end.

But this wasn't just a MAC on Big 12 crime — Big 12 replay officials had a chance to fix the problem. But missed it.

“The NCAA playing rules do not allow extension of the period when the penalty includes loss of down, under Rule 3-2-3," said Rogers Redding, secretary-rules editor for NCAA football. "Intentional grounding of a forward pass during a down in which time in the quarter expires is such a play, because loss of down is part of the penalty. Thus the quarter should not have been extended.”

Referee Tim O'Dey of the Mid-American Conference acknowledged the error in a postgame news conference.

"There’s a rule that says that the game cannot end on an accepted live ball foul," he said. "That’s the rule. There’s an exception to the rule that says if enforcement of the foul involves a loss of down, then that brings the game to an end. So in that situation, we’ve had the opportunity to run it back through our hierarchy, which includes the national rules editor, and he confirmed that should have been a loss of down and the end of the game at that point, so that extension should not have happened."

Oklahoma State athletics director Mike Holder said he and his staff reached out to anyone they could to change the outcome, to no avail. "In my mind, it is incomprehensible that a mistake made after time expired cannot be corrected," Holder said in a statement. "The final score shows that Oklahoma State lost the game, but that doesn't mean that I have to agree with it."

Bill Carollo, the MAC coordinator of football officials, placed the blame on the officiating crew.

“The Mid-American Conference officiating crew from Saturday afternoon’s Central Michigan at Oklahoma State contest made an error on the final play of regulation," Carollo said in statement. "The crew made a misapplication of the rule and should not have extended the contest with one final play. Despite the error, this will not change the outcome of the contest. ...

"As in all games involving the Mid-American Conference, every play within every game is thoroughly reviewed and graded on its accuracy and has impact on the evaluation for every official."

A statement from Walt Anderson, the Big 12 coordinator of officials, acknowledged that Big 12 replay officials missed an opportunity to stop the game to inform the MAC officiating crew of the misapplication of the intentional grounding penalty as time expired.

"NCAA rules permit instant replay to correct egregious errors, including those that involve the clock," Anderson said.

Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said there is no recourse.

"The game is final and errors can only be corrected during the game. Very unfortunate," Bowlsby told the Associated Press.